Welcome to my astronomy blog, I dedicate myself to the simplest form of amateur astronomy which requires only portable equipments.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

YongNuo Timer Remote

I bought one finally today. I visited one shop but then I was told that the last one was sold just before I arrived. Anyway, I walked around and found another shop selling it, and even slightly cheaper.

The user interface is quite nice and easy to use. It requires two AAA batteries and I guess they will last very long since monochromatic LCD is very energy efficient and the old fashion back light should consume quite less power as well.

Basically, this timer remote has essentially the same function as the EOS Utility of 450D. Of course, it's far easier to use this one instead of a notebook. Yes, the notebook does provide Live View but then the LCD of the 450D is big enough for focusing purpose. Therefore, a timer remote is very nice to simplify the whole setup and make it far more portable.

One of the big draw back of this simple timer remote is that it lacks a power button. It's forever power on, and to switch it off, you need to pull out the batteries. I guess the addition of a simple on/off switch is going to make it even better.

There's a big shutter button on this remote, and this button can function without power. You can even lock it in bulb mode. Half press also work flawlessly for focusing.

I've also tried to do exposure bracketing with this time remote. It works. With the AEB mode enabled, each time when you trigger the shutter, it will do bracketing automatically. Thus, it's not exactly a function of the timer remote, but it's just do-able with this timer remote. The same case applies for the EOS Utility.

With this timer remote on hand, as well as the Lowepro Fastpack 350, my total solar eclipse setup is ready and now I need some integration testing before the trip.